Turning back the clock

"Since the 1930s, jadeite has emerged as a distinctive feature in jewelry that is sought after by socialites from the East and West," says Wang Hebei, a researcher at the Palace Museum.

"Ranked as one of the top gems, jadeite has become one of the few stones, whose supply, distribution channels and craftsmanship were firmly controlled by Chinese dealers, while the standards of appraisal were set out by Chinese jewelers and intellectuals."

Curators also found the first recorded Chinese customer of Cartier-Aisin-Gioro Tsai Lun. Coincidentally or not, this prince who bought a watch in Paris in 1914 happens to be the great-great-grandson of Emperor Qianlong, a major contributor to the vast collection of clocks in the Forbidden City. A similar watch to the one prince Tsai Lun bought is also on display.